


deus ex machina

by beelzebubba



Category: Shoujo Kakumei Utena | Revolutionary Girl Utena
Genre: Family Issues, Gen, homophobia but only a little, implied juriori, passive aggressive mothers and straight siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-03
Updated: 2018-07-03
Packaged: 2019-06-01 16:08:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15146816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beelzebubba/pseuds/beelzebubba
Summary: juri before ohtori.i wanted to do something with that overarching theme of shitty parents and shittier siblings because we all know i’m a slut for family drama.this might be a 3 parter also cus 1) juriori and 2) i’ve been wanting to write about shiori and her mother for about 7 months now.





	deus ex machina

Juri Arisugawa got in her first fist fight in the spring of 1988. She was seven years old.

“This wouldn’t’ve happened if you were more careful.” Mother says, gently dabbing Juri’s wounds with the alcohol covered cottonball, sighing as Juri squeaked at the coolness and acidic feeling alcohol has on an open wound.

“I know.” Juri replies, avoiding her mother’s gaze at all costs. She’d never been a crier. Never one to externalize.

“You can’t be like this forever, you know. Rambunctious and careless.” Her mother gently spreads the bandage on Juri’s knee. “Elbow.” She says.

Juri complies.

“It’s not...normal. You’re gonna have to grow up eventually.”

Juri squints a little, not understanding what she’d done that was so wrong. Those girls were picking on a friend and she wasn’t going to be one to stand around idly. 

“I think more time with your sister would do you some good, don’t you agree?” She says, dabbing more alcohol a bit rougher than last time.

Juri pretends not to notice, balling her small fist to cope. “...Yes.”

“Good.” Her mother adds the final band aid; gentler this time. “Since you’ll be going out with her and her friends tomorrow.”

 _Great_ , Juri thinks. _Just great._

———

Juri keeps her fingers curled around her sister’s hand through the bustling galleria, trying to keep up as her sister looks like she’d rather be be flayed and hung to dry. Juri could have sworn she’d tried to lose her on purpose a couple times in the parking lot.

“Oi, Junko-chan,” her sister’s friend finally says something, albeit a bit timidly. “Maybe we should um...slow down a little.” Her eyes dart in Juri’s direction.

“Hmm?” Her sister hums, pretending she hadn’t even noticed her younger sister’s struggle. “Oh! I’m _so_ sorry nee-chan, do you wanna take a break?” Her voice was condescending, Juri couldn’t tell if she was putting up a front or trying to get under her skin. 

Maybe it was both.

“...No. I think I’m ok.” She was obviously not ok, her flip flops kept slipping and she was starting to get sweaty and overstimulated, but she didn’t need another reason for Junko to hate her.

Junko smiles, pressing onward.

——-

“Why’d you get all the stuff I said no to? I hate wearing skirts.” Juri says, carrying her own bags in one hand and holding her sister’s hand with the other. Fortunately Junko had no choice but to walk slower this time, since she had her own clothes to carry as well.

“Because, imouto, one day you’re going to be older and hate dressing like a four year old boy, as will the boy you like.” She tightens her grip on her Shimamura bag. “And you don’t want _that_ , do you?”

Juri ponders for a moment. “I _guess_. But I don’t think it really matters either way, all my boy friends like me just as I am! Who even cares what boys think anyway?”

Junko laughs. “I was just like that at your age. Just wait until you’re older, then you’ll see.”

Juri purses her lips; doubtful, but choosing to stay quiet. Mother did always say it was important for a woman to know her place.

——-

Juri Arisugawa took up fencing in 1991. She was ten years old.

“I don’t really understand where this sudden interest in fencing is coming from.” Mother says. “Wouldn’t you rather do something like gardening club or tea club or something? Something easy?”

“Aw leave her to it kaa-san, if she wants to be a boy so bad then leave her to it!”

“ _Junko_ ” Mother’s voice is stern.

“I’m just saying what everyone’s thinking, right? We all know how it starts and we all know how it ends! How’s she gonna know what to do if we don’t say something beforehand?” 

Junko Arisugawa is Juri’s sister. She’s 15 years old and already knows way too much.

Mother shoots Junko a look, then turns back to Juri.

“...It’s nothing like that, really. I’m just….doing it for a friend, cus they didn’t wanna join alone and they’d thought it’d be cool.” It technically wasn’t a lie; Juri was definitely in this for a friend.

Mother gives her one more look over, then sighs.

“I just….don’t want anyone getting any ideas about you. About us. About how we’ve raised you or anything.”

“I know.” Juri answers, half disheartened but not trying to fight it.

“Just be mindful of that. Nothing you ever do is isolated, whatever you do from here on, it reflects the Arisugawa name. You’re getting older now, Juri.”

Juri swallows. “Y….Yes ma’am.”

Mother brushes the stray strands of hair out of her face, staring at the almost mirrored version of herself in the form of a 10 year old girl before pressing a gentle kiss against her forehead.

“Now go wash up, dinner’s almost ready.”

——

Juri Arisugawa began presenting femininely in the spring of 1992. She was eleven years old. 

Junko Arisugawa got her first boyfriend in 1992. She was sixteen years old.

Junko’s first boyfriend was mildly obsessed with Junko’s little sister. He was sixteen too.

“Just what is your damage?” Junko hisses, this wasn’t the first time a confrontation like this would happen and it certainly wouldn’t be the last.

Juri struggles to get the cap off her soda. “My what?”

“Why are you so obsessed with trying to ruin my life? The first good thing to happen to me in _MONTHS_ and of course, _YOU_ try to take it all for yourself.”

Juri was genuinely confused. Then it clicked.

“You mean—“

“Yes, idiot.”

Juri has to resist the urge to sigh. “Nee-san...I don’t like him like that.” In all honesty Juri hated when he came around, he wore way too much cologne and looked like a molded gym sock.

Junko scoffs. “That’s what they _all_ say.”

“I’m serious!” Juri says.

“Then stop leading him on, walking around the house in those tanktops and shorts, I see the way he looks at you and I don’t like it.” Junko says.

“I...I’m not doing anything. I mean, I’m not trying t—“

“Save it. Just lay off him alright?”

“...Ok.” Juri says. “I’m sorry nee-san.”

“You know,” Junko says, “I almost prefered it when you looked like a dyke.” And with that she headed upstairs.

 _Yeah._ Juri thinks, _Me too._

She almost doesn’t notice the bottle cracking in her hand.

——-

Juri Arisugawa and Junko Arisugawa had their first experiences with death before before Juri left for Ohtori in the mid summer of 1993.

Juri was twelve.

Junko was seventeen.

Juri remembers the fear that built in her chest the moment she realized what her sister was yelling about, running for help almost instinctively. She also remembers a man, dazzling in white with short frizzy hair, diving in to save them both. 

And she remembers the reverence, relief, and anxiety she felt seeing her sister safe again, with no boy in sight.

“Wh….what happened to him?” Juri asks. She’d never truly understood what it meant to try to impress someone, but in this moment she felt she had to before this man, before this….adult.

“To the boy, I mean. I-I saw him jump in to save her!” Juri says.

The older man simple kneels, laying her sister on the bench behind her and pumping her chest a couple of times.

“Sometimes sacrifices have to be made...I only had time to save one. It all comes with being a prince, making big decisions like that….only the worthy survive.”

Junko sputters and coughs, the man sighing in relief as he sees the water leave her lungs.

“What’s your name, little one?”

Juri jumps a tad, nearly choking on the spit in her mouth. “A...Arisugawa.”

“Well, Arisugawa, you were very brave today. If you keep maintain that gallantry I have no doubt that you could be someone’s prince too. Maybe you’ll have the power of miracles one day.” He says, turning toward her with a gentle smile.

Juri’s cheeks heat up, just a tad.

“Well. Until next time, little one.” He stands, walking off gracefully, and Juri has to wonder, after feeling that brilliant aura and a seemingly blinding nobility surround him, if he was a prince, or something more divine come down from his holy place.

She shakes her head, wiping her tears. That was enough thinking for today, she ought to get her sister someplace warm.

——

Juri calls home once a month, that was the deal she made with her parents and a deal she has kept for four years. She’s sixteen now.

“Nee-san?” 

“Yeah?” Junko answers half attentively on the other line, probably painting her nails.

“I...I met a girl today. And...she reminded me of someone.”

“....Yeah?” Junko says.

It’s quiet for a moment.

“...There was a boy who saved you that day. Another boy, I mean. He was...I dunno how to describe it...celestial, to put it simply. Very noble….charismatic and forthright….anyway, the girl seemed eerily familiar and...I don’t know. It was just kinda scary to me, yet very admirable.”

“.....Did you just call me to tell me you’re gay?”

Juri pinches the bridge of her nose. That good old Arisugawa charm offensive.

“Well thank you for listening nee-san, I just need one more thing.”

“Hm?”

Juri hesitates for a moment. “We’re doing uh...essays on our most memorable life experiences for English. Can you remind me the name of your old boyfriend? The one who uh….died.”

The silence on the other end feels eternally oppressive, even though it’s only been about 18 seconds.

“....I don’t, actually.”

“....I see.” Juri tries to hide her annoyance and disappointment and that small bit of disgust. She obviously wasn’t one to talk, as she couldn’t remember herself.

But still.

“That prince sure sounded like a dreamboat though, did you ever get his—“

“Goodnight, Nee-san.”

**Author's Note:**

> i only named her junko because i love alliteration do NOT @ me about the dangan ronpa titty girl cowards.


End file.
